Kitchen implement



Sept. 27, 1938. J. w. LACKSTROM ET AL 2,131,631

KITCHEN IMPLEMENT Filed May 11, 1936 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES KITCHEN IMPLEMENT John W. Lackstrom and Philip Sheridan Kavanaugh, Springfield, Mass.

Application May 11,1936, Serial No. 79,122

4 Claims. (01. 221 23) Our invention relates to kitchen implements and more particularly to improvements in combination can and bottle openers.

One of the important objects of our invention 5 is to provide an implement of the type set forth which embodies a pouring spout and which is operative by leverage exerted against one edge of a can at any point thereon to cause the spout to puncture and seal the topof the can at the side thereof opposite to the fulcrum point of the implement.

Another object is to provide an implement for the purpose set forth which may be fulcrumed on a can as described to puncture and seal the top of cans of different sizes at the side edge opposite to the fulcrum point of the implement.

Another object is to provide an implement manipulative for the purposes above set forth and adapted to clampingly engage the top edge of the punctured can to secure the spout in I proper relation to the opening efiected by the puncturing operation and for use as a handle for tilting the can to pour contents therefrom.

Still another object is to provide an implement adapted for the purposes described and having a shank part attachable to the edge of the cam to fulcrum thereon and adapted for use in re-- moving caps from bottles.

Other and subordinate objects togetherwith the precise nature of our improvements will be readily understood when the following description and claims are read with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating the manner in which the can is punctured, the spout secured in sealing position relative to the puncture, and the implement clamped to the edge of the can.

4 Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of the implement, and

Figure 3 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing by numeral, the illustrated embodiment of our improved implement comprises a flat shank I, to be used as a. lever as presently described, and bent upon itself to provide a hand grip part 2 at one end thereof. The

50 shank part I is formed intermediate its transverse center and the hand grip part 2, and on its under side, with a series of depending lugs or fins 3 spaced apart longitudinally of the shank I and each formed with a hook-shaped forwardly 66 op ning claw 4 designed to take under the edge of the usual bead 5 on a can such as shown at 6. The free end of the shank I .is formed with a. similarly shaped downturned rearwardly opening claw I designed to take under the bead 6 at a point diametrically opposite the claws 4. The claws 4 are spaced from the claw 1 in approximate correspondence with the diameters of beads on cans of different sizes. The arrangement of the claws 4 and I is such that one of the claws 4, depending on the size of the can, may be 10 hooked under the bead 6 with the shank I at an angle to the top of the can and said shank rocked flatagainst the can top 8 to hook the claw 1 under the bead 6 at a point opposite to the fulcrum point of the shank I and thereby clamp said 15 bead between said claws. In this position of the shank I the can may be tilted or lifted by the hand grip part 2. The lugs or fins 3, with the exception of the rea-rmost one of said lugs, are formed with oppositely inclined front and rear 20 edges 9 and I0, respectively sharpened andconverging to a point. When any one of the claws 4 in the front of the rear claw 4 is in use against the bead of a can the lugs or fins 3 in front of the one in use are forced through the top 8 of the 25 can. This feature, in addition to providing for location of the shank I flat against can tops of different sizes, provides additional means for anchoring the implement to can tops of larger sizes.

The spout II is fitted into and extends through 30 the shank I adjacent the front end of said shank and comprises a suitably inclined pouring part I2 extending above said shank and a skirt I3 depending below said shank. The skirt I3, in horizontal section, is wedge-shaped, longitudinally of the shank I, with outwardly curving side walls I4, and a transverse straight front wall I5 and terminates in a rear V-shaped cutting edge I6 extending parallel with the shank I. The front half of the skirt I3 is formed with a depending prong I! having a puncturing point I8 and a V-shaped rear cutting edge I 9 reversely arranged relative to the cutting edge I6 to merge into the latter and inclining rearwardly from the puncturing point I8 to said edge I6 preferably with a slight outward curvature. The sides 20 of the prong I! are outwardly bowed and merge into the side and front walls I4 and I5 of the skirt I3.

As will be understood the prong I1 and cutting 50 edges I6 and I9 are forced through the top 8 of the can by the described fulcruming action of the shank I and in the limit of movement of said shank toward said top fit snugly into the opening 2I, formed by said edges, and seal the edges of til said opening. By virtue of the arrangement of the prong and the cutting edge IS the top is punctured by very slight force exerted against the shank i and the remainder of the opening is cut with a shearing progressive action, a factor further contributing to easy operation of the implement as will be apparent. When it is desired to detach the implement from a can it can be readily wrenched free of the head 6.

The lugs or fins 3 are relatively arranged so that the rear edge of one may be fulcrumed upon the cap of a bottle to hook the claw 4 of a succeeding lug under the edge of the cap and remove the same from the bottle. An auxiliary hooked claw 22 is formed on one side edge of the shank l for use as a bottle opener if desired.

The. foregoing detailed description of a preferred. embodiment of our invention will, it is believed, sumce to impart a full understanding of the operation and advantages thereof.

It is to be understood, however, that the details described ..n the foregoing are not to be viewed as restrictive of the scope of the invention, but that right is herein reserved to modifications of such details falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An implement for use in opening cans comprising, a shank having a handle at one end thereof, a downturned hook-shaped claw at the other end thereof opening rearwardly, and a series of hook-shaped claws on 'its under side spaced apart lengthwise of the shank and opening forwardly, and a pouring spout extending through said shank intermediate said first claw and said series of claws, the spacing of the claws of said series relative to the first claw being in approximate correspondence with the outside diameters of beads of cans of different sizes, respectively.

2. An implement for use in opening cans comprising, a shank having a handle at one end thereof, a downturned hook-shaped claw at the other cans of diiferent sizes, respectively, and the'claws of said series in advance of the last claw thereof having angularly related under cutting edges.

3. An implement of the class described comprising, a shank having a handle at one end thereof, a pair of hook-shaped opposed claws on one side thereof spaced apart lengthwise of said shank in approximate correspondence with the outside diameter of the edge bead of a can and opening toward each other, and a pouring spout extending through said shank intermediate the claws of said shank and having a depending skirt portion including 'rearwardly converging side walls sharpened at the rear of said skirt to provide a V-shaped undercutting edge thereon, said skirt having depending therefrom in advance of said cutting edge a pointed prong provided with a V-shaped rear cutting edge inclining upwardly and rearwardly to the cutting edge on said skirt and having outwardly and upwardly inclined sides merging into the side walls 'of said skirt.

4. An implement for use in opening cans comprising a shank, 'a rearwardly opening hook-.- shaped claw at the forward end of the shank, a series of forwardly opening hook-shaped claws on the underside of the shank and spaced apart lengthwise of the shank, and a pouring spout extending through the shank, the spacing of the claws of'the series relative to the first claw being in approximate correspondence with the outside diameters of beads of cans of different sizes.

PHILIP SHERIDAN KAVANAUGH. JOHN W. LACKSTROM. 

